Gun sling



Dec. l, 1959 P. c. MooMAw 2,915,233

GUN sL-ING y l Filed Deo. 12, 1958 IN V EN TOR.

.By PAUL a MooMAw ATToRNEjr.

GUN SLING Paul C. Moomaw, Waynesboro, Pa. Application December 12, 1958, Serial No. 779,938

1 Claim. (Cl. 224-3) The present invention relates to equipment for use by a person carrying la gun of the rille or other type, and more particularly to a novel sling for supporting a gun from the shoulder of the user.

In the use of weapons a hunter or military man tramps many miles through the fields and woods carrying a relatively heavy gun held by the hands, and generally in ya ready position for instant action when a quick shot is necessary. The weight of the gun on the arms of the user is not only very tiring but so retards reflex action that unexpected misses become more frequent.

An object of the invention is to provide a gun sling wherein the foregoing disadvantages are overcome.

Another object is to provide a gun sling wherein a gun is supported under one arm of the user while leaving both hands and arms free of the weight of the gun.

A further object is -to provide a gun sling wherein means removably carries a gun by spaced barrel and stock supports so arranged and positioned that the gun is ready for instant use.

Generally considered the sling of the invention com prises an inverted U-shaped band passing over the shoulder of the user with two end extensions respectively carrying barrel and stock supports which lie in a plane passing under Ithe gunners right arm, the barrel support being in front of the gunner and the stock support to the rear of gunner. A body strap passes under the left arm to maintain the support extensions in the aforesaid underarm plane.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevation view of a gun sling embody ing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail end view of the stock-supporting seat;

Fig. 3 is a back elevation view of the sling in place; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the gun in ready position upon the sling.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of the invention comprises a light weight gun-supporting harness to be slung over the shoulder of the user and fastened about the body in such a way that the weight of the gun, when being carried, is transferred from the gunners arms to the harness or sling, while leaving the gun in ready position for quick handling and shooting.

As here shown the sling comprises an elongated band of ilexible material, preferably webbing, having a width to serve as a comfortable weight distributing surface, when in place as an over-the-shoulder strap, to sustain the weight of the gun while leaving the gunners arms and hands free. One end of the band 10 terminates in an extension 11 which carries at its free end yan offset -loop 12 shaped and dimensioned to seat the stock of a gun. The width of the loop is such as to permit the major portion of the stock to seat well within the loop and retain it in a vertical position. The other end of the band 10 terminates in an extension 13 having an attached hook 14 which is suitably dimensioned to seat that portion of a gun barrel which projects forwardly of the gunner in ready position.

The upper end ofthe loop 12 is attached to the extension 11 by a length 15 of webbing or the like, includ ing abuckle connector 16 for the purpose of adjusting the-suspended length of the loop 12. When the band 10 is over a shoulder the supported loop 12 forms a substantially vertical Ithrough opening for the entry of the gun stock. The front edges 17 of the loop 12 are forwardly disposed while the rear edges 18 face in the opposite direction.

In order to properly locate the gun stock in the loop 12, the edges 18 are interconnected by one or more limit bands 20, each connected at opposite ends to the respective loop sides and of a length to straddle the seated gun stock. Thus the entering gun stock is prevented by the bands 20 from passing through the loop 12 and so properly located as a support for the stock end of a gun.

For supporting the free end of a gun barrel the hook 14 is provided and is suspended from the loop extension 13 by a length 21 of webbing, or the like, including a buckle connector 22 for proper adjustment of the hook position.

As a means for maintaining the band 10 in proper supporting position on the right shoulder a retaining strap 23, of webbing or the like, is fastened at its ends to the band 10 and includes a buckle connector 24 for adjusting the length of the strap 23 so that it lits snugly about the body of the gunner to pass under the left arm. Thus with the band 10 over the right shoulder the strap 23 passes across the users back, then under the left arm to continue across the users chest for connection tothe front end of the band 10. The strap 23 is adjusted for tightness yby the buckle connector 24 to retain the band in place over the shoulder while holding the two extensions in a plane passing under the right arm.

The gun is now attached by inserting the stock in the loop, or socket 12, and dropping the barrel in the hook 14, while the right arm of the user is over the supported gun, ready to withdraw yand lift the gun for a shot without loss of time.

While in the foregoing the more general use of the sling is described as carried at the right side of the user with the retaining strap 23 under the left arm, it is to be understood that this way of supporting the gun is optional and in the case of a left hand shooter the sling assembly will be reversed. Also, that by varying the length of the extension 15 for the stock, and the length of the extension for the riile, the latter can be carried not only in a horizontal position but at any angle desired. Thus the socket for the butt of the gun can be dropped sutlciently low that the gun could be positioned as much as a sixty-iive degree angle with the muzzle of the gun pointing upward and slightly outward. This is highly advantageous because many persons carrying a rifle like to keep the muzzle pointed upward rather than forward on a horizontal line. Such positioning is advantageous as a protection for someone walking in front of the person with the gun.

It is to be understood that the use of the term loop for the part 12 is not a limitation but is here used because in the preferred form the sling parts are of webbing. Broadly, however, this part is a socket to `receive the gun butt and may Ibe other than webbing, such for example, of a plastic shaped socket attached to the sling. Therefore in interpreting the claims the loop is to be considered broadly as a socket.

It will now be apparent that a complete unitary gun sling has been devised whereby the hands and arms of a gunner are relieved of the weight of the gun while at all times the gun is supported in ready, or other carrying position.

What is claimed is:

A gun sling comprising a flexible band forming two substantially equal length portions to 4straddle the'sholit should be apparentv der of a user with the terminal free ends of said portions being substantially below said shoulder, one band portion having its free end positional in front of the user and the other band portion having its free end positional back ofthe user, said free ends being terminals of a sub` stantially horizontal line passing under one arm of thev user, Ya forwardly opening loop attached to the free end of the back band portion and depending therefromv to receive and support the butt of a horizontally disposed gun, an open 'hook on the free end of the front band por- 10 aardgas,

5 about the chest and beneath the other arm of the user.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS Rischard July 18, 1905 Anderson Apr. 27, 1909 Lim-.i 

